Seeing the items in Lu Xingyao’s hands, the guards couldn’t contain their excitement. They wanted to rush over and grab them, but with Du Hangwu watching over them, they could only glance at their leader for permission.

Du Hangwu nodded, “Old Master Lu is thoughtful. Please extend my thanks to your grandfather.”

With that, he signaled two of his subordinates to take the tents. Although he tried to appear indifferent, ever since he saw the Lu family setting up their tents, he’d been silently wishing for one. However, knowing the vast powers of the Lu family’s deity, he dared not show even the slightest hint of desire.

After all, surviving one lightning strike was a mercy from the deity. He wasn’t sure he could survive a second one.

Du Hangwu’s current attitude was a stark contrast to how he acted when the exile first began. Now, he was more respectful, almost as if he were a different person. But Lu Xingyao was used to it. “No need for thanks, sir,” he replied.

After handing over the tents, Lu Xingyao was eager to return and sleep in the tent he had helped set up. However, Du Hangwu and his men soon realized that these tents were unlike any they had seen before. Confused, they asked, “Lu young master, how do you use these?”

Lu Xingyao sighed and reluctantly turned back to show them.

What happened next left Du Hangwu and his men completely stunned.

Lu Xingyao grabbed one of the tents, pulled it open like an umbrella, and with a simple push, the tent popped up fully formed on the ground!

“Is this really a tent?” Du Hangwu couldn’t sit still any longer. He got up and walked over, inspecting it from all angles. Finally, he crouched down and crawled inside. It was spacious, windproof, and snowproof—a true lifesaver!

And to top it off, setting it up was far easier than the usual process, making it much more convenient for travel. If they had had such tents before, they wouldn’t have suffered through so many nights in the wilderness.

The guards, excited by what they had just seen, quickly mimicked Lu Xingyao, setting up their own tents with ease. They were amazed. “This is incredible!”

“I’ve never seen anything like this in all my years!”

A few of the guards crowded around, eager to get a closer look. They ran their hands over the material, trying to figure out what it was made of. “This thing is built strong! It’s way more convenient than the military tents we’ve used.”

“How do they even make something like this? It looks complicated.”

“Who cares? I’m sleeping in it tonight!”

“Not so fast! I called dibs first!”

“You’re on night watch duty, remember? You can’t sleep yet.”

The guards started bickering over who would get to sleep in the tent. After so many nights in the open, finally having something like this was a dream come true, and none of them wanted to miss out.

Seeing that they had grasped how to use the tents, Lu Xingyao quickly ran back to his own camp, eager to finally get some rest.

However, when he returned, all five of the tents were already occupied, with only five people left on night watch.

He stood there in disbelief, “???”

Was there really no space left for me?

Even his mother, who always doted on him, had already fallen asleep inside a tent with the other women.

Lu Zhou popped his head out from one of the tents and said, “Son, the elders are tired. You take the first watch. Your second uncle will relieve you halfway through the night.”

Inside the tent, his second uncle was already snoring.

Lu Xingyao’s lips twitched. “Understood, father.”

What else could he say when his own father had given the order? Resigned, he sat down by himself, hoping to warm his hands by the fire, only to realize that even the embers had burned out.

Just then, a bottle of water was handed to him. It was his third uncle, Lu Xingyan.

Touched, Lu Xingyao took the bottle. “Third Uncle, you’re the best. You’re the only one who didn’t just go to sleep and leave me out here.”

But Lu Xingyan replied, “You’re mistaken. I just came out for a drink.”

Lu Xingyao: “?”

He watched as his third uncle promptly returned to the tent, which his father, Lu Zhou, held open for him. The three brothers and their father were all snug inside the tent, leaving him, the younger generation, to brave the cold outside.

Lu Zhou glanced at his son, “Stop talking or you’ll wake your grandfather.”

With that, the tent was closed again, leaving Lu Xingyao alone in the cold wind and snow.

Back in her room, having just come out of the shower and about to go to bed, Gu Xingzhao saw this scene and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Poor kid.

Feeling a bit sorry for him, she got up, rummaged through her closet, and found a scarf and gloves she had bought last year. She sent them to the past, where they appeared next to Lu Xingyao’s curled-up figure.

Lu Xingyao, still sulking, suddenly felt something soft being placed in his lap. Looking down, he saw a long, cozy object. He had no idea what it was, but it felt nice to the touch.

“!!!” His eyes widened. The ancestor had sent it!

Along with the scarf, there were two gloves with distinct fingers, far better crafted than any gloves he had ever worn before.

Lu Xingyao glanced around, making sure no one else was watching. Realizing he was the only one receiving this gift, he beamed with pride.

Gu Xingzhao chuckled as she scribbled a note on a sticky pad and stuck it on his forehead.

Startled by something blocking his vision, Lu Xingyao peeled the note off and read: It’s cold at night. The long one is called a scarf—wrap it around your neck to stay warm. Put on the gloves to keep your hands from freezing.

Tears welled up in Lu Xingyao’s eyes. Even his parents and grandfather weren’t this thoughtful!

Without hesitation, he wrapped the scarf haphazardly around his neck and put on the gloves. His heart, along with his body, felt warmer.

No longer upset, he even felt a bit lucky. If he hadn’t been left out in the cold, he might have missed this special moment with the ancestor.

This was his gift, exclusively for him!

Watching him from her bedroom, Gu Xingzhao noticed how tightly he had wound the scarf around his neck, as if he were about to strangle himself. She sighed, wanting to help but knowing he wouldn’t hear her.

The poor boy looked so pitiful. She knelt down, carefully loosening the scarf and retying it properly around his chest.

Lu Xingyao froze, not daring to move as the scarf was gently adjusted. “!!!”

His mind raced—was the ancestor taking it back?

But Gu Xingzhao simply tied it more neatly, making it look less bulky and even a bit stylish.

After her handiwork, she admired him, thinking how much better he looked than the social media influencers she had seen online.

Realizing that the ancestor had been helping him, Lu Xingyao’s ears turned red, and his face flushed. The ancestor is so kind, he thought.

Not even his grandfather or parents had ever dressed him like this.

Gu Xingzhao: “?”

Why are you blushing just because I tied your scarf?

Postscript:

Lu Xingyao: Yay! I get to sleep in a tent!

Lu Xingyao: Wait, all the tents are full…

The ancestor appears and gives him a scarf and gloves.

Lu Xingyao: Yay, yay, yay!!!